Chapter One: District Ten Reaping

All I am
A child with promises
All I have
Are miles full of promises of home
-Enya, Evacuee.

Verona Bowman [8]

Her mama's hands running through Verona's hair is almost enough to send her right back to sleep as she curls up next to her mama on the bed. She doesn't want to fall asleep again; the rooster will be crowing soon anyway, but that small window of time is enough for her bad dreams to come back. She regrets hanging around with the older kids now that she knows they weren't exaggerating about how scary their stories are.

"Mama?" She whispers, as not to wake anyone else up. "Are you sure there's no dragons here? Brook said he was telling the truth that they're in Ten, and he's never lied before."

"I'm sure, honey," her mama says softly. "Papa kicked all of the dragons out of District Ten long before you were born."

"What if he missed one?"

"He wouldn't have," she says, and Verona is about to ask how her mama could know when she speaks again. "How about we go for a walk after the reaping and look for any that you think are left? If we find any, Papa can take care of them, and then you know that you're safe."

"Yes please." Verona presses herself closer to her mama's side. "Can all of us go? Even June?"

"I don't see why not." her mother smiles.

Verona turns her head, glancing at the small cradle in the corner of the room. "It'll be her first family walk," she says as she turns back to face her mama. "But what if we do find a dragon? Do you think she's scared of them too?"

Her mother shrugs. "I don't know, Verona," she says. "We'll have to ask her when she's older."

"I hope she's not."

"Me too, honey."

They fall silent, but it's shortlived when the rooster starts to crow and everybody starts stirring. June starts to cry at the sudden amount of noise, and their Papa starts to herd them all out of the room to go and get breakfast and allow June to settle down a little. Elowen whines to be picked up, and so Verona holds her on her hip, the younger girl leaning her head on Verona's shoulder.

She refuses to be put down and so Verona finds herself sitting with Elowen on her lap, feeding her spoonfuls of cereal before she can actually feed herself. Other workers trickle in and out of the kitchen, sometimes talking to them but mostly just keeping to themselves. Verona knows that it's Reaping Day, but she doesn't quite know what that means. Everybody's worried, though, even her own mama and papa. She remembers the crying in the town square after they had to watch an announcement. It had been weird to see so many adults crying.

Last year Doe Ackerman's older brother got picked, and Doe didn't stop crying for ages either. She missed three months of school and even when she came back, she wasn't the Doe that Verona knew. She was sad all the time, even when Verona was trying to cheer her up. Doe says that her brother has to stay in the ground now, that she'll never see him again. Verona doesn't know what she'd do if any of her siblings had to stay in the ground. Their teacher told everyone that nobody had nothing to worry about this year, but if it happened to Doe's brother...

"June's sleeping again," their mama says as she enters the kitchen. "So you guys are going to have to be quiet when you go back into the room, okay? I've picked up your outfits, and you're not to get them dirty," she looks pointedly towards Verona's older brother Phoenix. "Especially you, Phoenix."

"I won't." he holds up his hands.

"Good," she smiles. "Now we've gotta start speeding up, alright? We'll have to leave soon if we want to get there on time. Girls, I'll do your hair once you're dressed. Verona, can you help me out by getting Elowen ready?"

"Yep!"

"And Phoenix, can you get Alder ready for me?"

"Mhm."

They all do as they're told, being as quiet as they can when they enter and leave the bedroom. Verona carries Elowen to the bathroom, waiting outside for a while until it's free again, and helps her younger sister get dressed. She's barely wrestled Elowen into her dress before someone is knocking on the door, so she speeds up and quickly pulls hers on.

Most of the time Verona likes living on the farm with all of the other farmhands but sometimes it can get annoying. Like when there's queues for the bathrooms, or June, Alder or Elowen is having a hard night and keeps waking everyone up because they all sleep in the same room together. It's also no fun to sleep on mattresses on the floor, but their mama and papa say that they can't afford to live anywhere else. Besides, it's easier to live where they work.

A disgruntled worker pushes their way into the bathroom once Verona unlocks it, and she joins her mama back in the bedroom to get her hair done.

"What do you want?" Her mama asks quietly. "Braids or pigtails?"

Verona shrugs. "You choose."

She ends up with her hair pulled into two braids, twirling around in the middle of the room whilst she waits for her mama to finish up with Ophelia and Elowen's hair. The skirt of her dress puffs out, but her papa isn't happy with her when she gets so dizzy she falls over and almost wakes up June.

"Wait outside," he tells her, and she pouts and heads out into the hallway. Phoenix joins her not long later, huffing as he sits down next to her.

"Do you want to play chess with me when we get home?" He asks.

"Sure." Verona nods.

They talk and play with a few of Phoenix's matchbox cars before the reaping horn sounds. Verona wonders who is going to get picked today, and whether they'll have to stay in the ground just like Doe Ackerman's brother. Maybe that's why most of them cry when their name is picked. Verona can't imagine that it's much fun having to stay there without anyone with you.

"Come on guys, let's go." Their mama leaves the room, June in her arms, with their papa and the other three trailing behind. Phoenix and Verona get to their feet, and Phoenix grabs Alder whilst Verona carries Elowen. It makes things a lot easier when they're walking places, and that way the younger ones don't get lost. Ophelia skips along beside Verona, and the family, along with the other farmhands, make their way to the town square.

"We have to get signed in, okay?" Their mama says as they reach the booths and Verona frowns.

"We didn't have to last year," she says. Her mama takes her hand.

"I know, darling, but you do this year. It doesn't hurt."

Verona knows better than to argue, so they file into line. They even prick June's finger, which Verona thinks is unfair, but her mama clamps a hand over her mouth when she starts to protest. Once they're all signed in, they have to separate from the boys which Verona decides is a stupid idea since Phoenix is her best friend and the reapings are always boring anyway. She loves all of her sisters of course, but they're not as fun to mess around with.

She ends up making weird faces at baby June to make her smile as they're waiting around. The square gets more and more packed, and where there would usually be children, Verona can see people of all ages. It's weird, but she assumes that it has something to do with the announcement they had to watch a few months ago. She hadn't actually listened to what it was but she knows that it was a rule that changed the Game for that year.

Eventually, when thy're packed so tightly into the square that Verona can barely breathe with the amount of people behind her, the mayor steps onto the stage and starts to read. Verona doesn't listen, too busy trying to spot her papa and Alder and Phoenix on the other side of the aisle. But, when she turns back, the mayor has been replaced with the same funny looking lady that was here last year. The one that read out Doe Ackerman's brother's name.

"Let's start with the girls!" She exclaims, clapping happily as she walks over to the bowl on her left. "Demeter Bowman!"

At that, her mama gasps, and heads turn to her. Verona looks around confused, moving closer to her mama as people start to whisper and look around. When Verona looks up, her mama is crying, and the woman on stage sighs.

"Demeter Bowman?" She calls out. "Will you please come up here with your daughters?"

"We have to go," their mama inhales sharply, wiping her cheeks. "Come on."

"But why?" Ophelia asks as they make their way into the aisle. She starts to cry as the peacekeepers surround them. Verona grips Elowen tightly in one arm, and holds her mama's skirt in the other, eyes wide as they make their way to the stage.

"We just have to," their mama says. "Hurry up."

"Oh what lovely girls you have here!" The escort coos as they reach the top of the stairs. Verona shies away from her as she tries to go for a hug. "What are their names and how old are they?"

"Um," her mama is still crying, her voice shaking as she points to each of them in turn. "June is just under a month old, Elowen is three, Ophelia is six and Verona is eight."

"And which girl do you choose?" The escort seems almost happy when she asks that question, but Verona can tell from the angry shouts in the crowd that it isn't a nice question.

Why does her mama have to choose one of them? Is it for the Hunger Games?

"Don't make me choose," her mama begs. "Please. They're just babies!"

There's movement behind them, and one of the peacekeepers moves forward and her mama lets out a loud sob as there's a gun pressed to her head. Verona starts to cry then, wanting nothing more than to go back home. To be safe in her mama's arms. She doesn't know what's going on, but she's so so scared.

"If you don't choose then you will be removed from the equation and we will have to do it for you," the lads says. "I'm sorry, but that's how it is."

Her mama is quiet for a moment. "V-Verona," she whimpers. "I choose Verona."

And suddenly the woman is bending down and wrapping an arm around Verona's shoulders, pulling her away from her mama and her sisters. Verona starts to wail, joining in the cries of the others as the woman holds her back and her family is marched off stage. She struggles against the woman, calling out for her mother, and there's a moment where she's free, and she scrambling across the stage but one of the women seated to the side grabs her and holds her tight.

"It's okay," the woman shushes her, running a hand over her hair just like her mama had done this morning. "It's okay."

They both know that it's not.

And vaguely Verona can hear the escort lady moving on, but she doesn't look up from where she buries her face in the shoulder of the woman.

The woman lets go eventually, and Verona is forced to shake the hand of a man who can't be much older than her papa. Will he be playing the game with her? How is she supposed to win if there are people like him playing? Whatever game they have to play, adults are almost always far better.

When she's being pushed into the Justice Building Verona decides that dragons don't scare her anymore. Not as much as what just happened.

For my prayer has always been love
What did I do to deserve this now?
How did this happen?
-Sufjan Stevens, Drawn to the Blood.

Ellwood Skinner [37]

He hasn't been as nervous for a reaping in years.

Not that he had much time left to be as nonchalant about it as he could since Benji turns twelve in time for next years', but he's aware of how high stakes this one is. Both of his sons are eligible, and so is he. Paloma, his wife is too. The entire family is. And, if the odds really aren't in their favour and Paloma's mother's name gets drawn alongside Ellwood's father's, it has the potential to ruin this family. Not to mention if his name gets pulled. How is he supposed to choose between his boys? How is he supposed to send Benji or Colter off to the Hunger Games and still sleep at night? How is he supposed to watch them get slaughtered knowing that it's his fault?

And in the unlikely event that his boy does come back, how is he supposed to look him in the eye? How is he supposed to hug him and welcome him back knowing that he sent him off to that arena? That he deemed his brother's life higher than his? The questions make him sick, and he abruptly stands up from the breakfast table, ignoring Paloma and his boys' calls.

Locking the bathroom door, Ellwood splashes water on his face and tries to calm himself down. His name won't be chosen; the extra shifts he'd worked the past few months meant that the boys didn't have to take tesserae. Ellwood's name was in twice, and that was little compared to some of his coworkers. He'll be fine. He just needs to stop worrying.

"Ell, are you okay?" Paloma knocks on the door as he's patting his face dry.

"I'm fine," he says, opening the door. He pulls his wife close. "I just... I got into a real dark spot there. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I don't know how I'd even choose."

Paloma presses her lips together. "You won't have to," she says firmly. "And even if you did, nobody would blame you. Both Benji and Colt know what could happen today and they know that you love them both despite what might happen."

Ellwood nods taking a deep breath. "Benji told me yesterday to choose him," he says. "And I've never hated the Capitol more."

His wife stands on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek. "It'll be okay," she says. "You won't have to choose."

And Ellwood wishes that he could say that he's comforted, but he's not really. Still, he takes a deep breath and re-enters the kitchen where Colter greets him with a hug.

"It's okay, Dad," he says. "My teacher says none of us have anything to worry about."

"And she's right," he smiles, trying to put on a brave face. "Now which one of you is going to help me with the washing up, huh?"

"Not me!" They both yell in union, and attempt to run. Ellwood chases after them, wrapping his arms around Benji's waist. He picks him up, and Colter laughs as his brother is pulled back towards the kitchen.

"Dad you're so unfair," Benji pouts as soon as he's put down, turning to the sink. "I did it last night."

"Well then Colt will do it tonight and tomorrow morning," Ellwood shrugs, running the hot water. "Solved."

Benji huffs, but he doesn't argue further which Ellwood revels in. He'd known that the tween years were going to be hard, knows what he was like at that age, but he swears that his son is way worse than he used to be. Sure, Ellwood would talk back a little every now and then, and was awful at remembering to tell his parents that he wouldn't be home for dinner, but he doesn't remember getting into full blown arguments with his parents like Benji has been doing recently. Sure, he might have done the washing up last night but not without the threat of not being able to hang out with his friends for a week.

Parenting has turned out to be a lot rouger than Ellwood and Paloma anticipates but he thinks that they're doing a pretty decent job. Despite his recent attitude problems, Benji is a pretty good kid and so is Colter. Both of them are kind, both of them are thoughtful, and even though they may have this to look forward to when Colter reaches this age, a little pre teenage angst isn't necessarily a bad thing.

As soon as the washing up is done, he sets about getting ready for the reaping. Paloma looks stunning in a new dress, and both of the boys are dashing in their shirts and ties. Ellwood is the last to get ready, being put in charge of making sure that the boys' hair is fixed, but he manages it on time and they end up leaving the house before the reaping horn has sounded. He counts that as somewhat of a win since they're usually late.

Ellwood's father joins them on the way there, joking around with Benji and Colter. Some of his jokes even make Ellwood and Paloma smile as they walk, something that both of them appreciate. It feels slightly inappropriate to be laughing when there are people around them crying and tiny children that are one slip away from death, but Ellwood has already let himself be overwhelmed this morning and if there's anything that can take his mind off this he's not going to complain. It's definitely a welcome distraction.

Colter flags when they get to the booths, refusing to step forward and get his finger pricked. Ellwood ushers his father and Benji through, taking Colter off to the side where he pulls his son into a tight hug.

"Does it hurt?" Colter asks once they pull away, looking over his shoulder.

"No," Ellwood shakes his head. "It's just a little prick, that's all."

"How do you know?"

"I had to have it done when I was a kid too."

"But that was years ago! You probably don't even remember!"

"Mhm," he nods. "But surely I'd remember if it was that painful, huh? I promise you that it doesn't hurt, kiddo. The best thing to do is get it over and done with."

Colter's lip trembles as he looks towards the booths. "Will you hold my hand?"

"Sure I will."

That seems to be enough to get Colter moving towards the booths, but Paloma stays behind to wait for her mother. She hugs Ellwood, giving his a good luck and a quick kiss. He returns the favours, and they agree to meet back in this spot once the reaping is over.

He does as he promises, and holds Colter's hand whilst both of them get their fingers pricked. It takes a while to locate Ellwood's father and Benji within the crowd, but they manage it and greet each other with hugs. The tension in the air is almost unbearable as the mayor takes to the stage, and Colter grips Ellwood's hand so tight that it hurts.

"Dad?" He asks, when the Treaty of Treason is being read out.

"Yeah, buddy?"

"I love you."

"I love you too. More than you'll ever know."

He tenses as the escort takes to the stage, and plays a video that Ellwood has seen more times that he wants to. Once that's done, she decides that she doesn't want to waste any time and looks almost giddy as she makes her way to the women's bowl. It makes Ellwood sick that she's taking such delight in this; that it was even a Quell idea to begin with. It's the opposite of entertaining, especially as Demeter Bowman makes her way up to the stage with a baby in her arms and two young girls following her, one of the holding a toddler.

In front of them, a man starts to cry, another toddler in his arms and a boy around Benji's age at his side. He imagines that it's the other half of the family up on that stage, and Ellwood's heart sinks.

"Dad, Verona's in my class. She's my friend," Colter says numbly as the mother on stage introduces her oldest girl. "B-but Ms. Stephens said we had nothing to worry about," he turns to Ellwood, eyes wide. "You said she was right. Why did you both lie?"

Ellwood doesn't have an answer to that, can't think of anything that would make this better, so he just squeezes Colter's shoulder in what he hopes is a reassuring way. Around them disgruntles cries ring out as Demeter's please ring out across the district. He himself cries out when a gun is trained on the woman's head, and he has to hold back the tears when Verona is left on stage, eventually ending up in the arms of Nora, one of this years' mentors.

He gathers his wits about him as the escort heads over to the men's bowl.

And he's glad that he does, because it's his father's name that echoes out. He somehow manages to keep a clear head when his boys start screaming, having to be held back by some of those around him. Linking arms with his father, he helps him up to the stage, staring out across the sea of citizens when it finally kicks in.

He, Horace Skinner's only son, is going into the Hunger Games.

He supposes that there's one small mercy; at least his father didn't have to pick like Demeter did. Of course Ellwood wouldn't have blamed him if he'd been the one chosen, but it makes him feel a little better that his father doesn't have to live with so much guilt. He needs to remind himself to tell his father that not to blame himself during the visits.

Staring out across the district as the reality and the terror finally sink in, Ellwood realises what a predicament he's got himself into. He turns to the sobbing girl beside him, nudged towards him gently by Nora, and gently shakes her hand.

He doesn't want to think it, but he can't stop himself as the pair of them are led into the Justice Building: for him to get home to his boys she has to die.

This chapter is brought to you by the fact that I didn't have lectures today and also, considering it's 2AM ish, chronic insomnia!

I didn't intend to get this out so fast, but it just kind of happened. I can't promise that the next chapters will come out this fast (in fact I would bet a lot a lot of money that they won't) but I'm going to try and get as many as I can out before I start getting stupidly busy in the next few months.

Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and I would love for anyone reading to let me know what they think of both Verona and Ellwood. Also, if anyone wants to submit a tribute or three that would be great also!

Any mistakes are brought to you by the fact that it's 2AM and my proof reading skills aren't at their peak right now. I'll read it over with fresh eyes at some point tomorrow and fix anything I find, but please don't be rude if there's any typos!

Thanks a lot for reading, I appreciate it! :)

-Myths and me